HC hasn't stayed circular on sedition, claims Maharashtra govt

Mumbai: Maharashtra home department on Wednesday claimed that the Bombay High Court had not stayed its controversial circular about the use of section 124-A of Indian Penal Code which deals with the offence of sedition.

The court yesterday only asked it to file an affidavit on the issue at the next hearing on October 20, an official statement said here, adding "the department is working to bring more clarity on the subject".

The circular, which contains guidelines for invoking the stringent section, has been lambasted for allegedly advising the police to press sedition charge ever for a mere criticism of the government.

The court had yesterday asked the government not to implement the guidelines until further hearing.

Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi and others have challenged its constitutional validity.